hello all,
right then-questions about aromatherapy. I can't remember who asked what now though. i will refer to essentail oil as EO.
Lavender oil: natures cure all-you can use lavender in labour in an oil burner in the room. Ideal for keeping calm and relaxed in those first stages. It also disinfects the air. Be wary though-lavender when used too much can be stimulating rather than relaxing. If you cant take an oil burner get a cheapo plant spray bottle, fill with 100ml of water add 10 drops of Lav EO and one or 2 tablespoons of vodka-shake well and spray the room with that.
It can be used in later stages on a compress (warm or cold flannel witht the oil sprinkled on it 3-4 drops) which can be pressed into your back or on our tummy-wherever needed. A cooler flannel on your head and chest may be welcome. Lavender has a natural balancing effect it will both cool and warm and stimulate and relax depending on how it is used. After the pushing stage when maternal exhaustion can be a factor it can be useful to bring everything back down. Lavender is a comforting smell for baby also but not too much. It can also be blended with a carrier oil-ordinary light sunflower oil will do but you can buy sweet almond oil quite readily for massage during labour. get DP/birth partner to massage it on you.
Home births/water births-you can use lav EO in the birthing pool but there is a small risk it can irritate the eyes of baby if it's just dropped onto the surface it's an oil so it will lay on there. The best way to avoid this is to mix it with a little full fat milk (egg cup full of milk with 3-6 drops of oil) to disperse the oil evenly within the water.
It's also great post birth at home in the bath-it's very healing and antiseptic.
Clary sage (salvia sclarea), one of the oils you are strongly advised to stay away from during your pregnancy, Due to its labour inducing properites But can be extremely beneficial to you on the big day. It has a narcotic effect and can be used either blended into a carrier oil which your birth partner massages into your lower back, or in a warm compress pushed onto the lower abdomen or lower back ? basically, where it hurts most. Another way to use it is to dab a couple of drops onto a face pad or tissue to hold to your nose/mouth when you need some relief. A good combination is clary sage with rose oil. This might be a substitute for gas and air. Just before you feel a contraction coming, breathe in deeply from your face pad, then after the contraction has passed, breathe in gently and rhythmically from the face pad.
It may be too stimulating for some women at the first stage. Great for regulating and deepening contractions if things are not progressing smoothly. I wouldn't mix it with lavender for birth but I would use it on it's own during the later stages. Again it can be inhaled straight from the bottle, in a room spray, used in massage oil or on a compress. WARNING-do not use direct on the skin without diluting-unlike lavender it can irritate the skin. After xmas i am going to be starting regular baths with clary sage to bring on birth if i can-but i wouldn't do that unless you're 37 weeks and ready for bubba to arrive.
if you don't want to fark about too much and just want some nice simple blends for sniffing and massage during labour and you don't mind investing in a couple of oils for the purpose then you can try the following, i have chosen these for cheapness and access of the oils. PM me if youre interested enough to want to splash out on some specialist oils.
For relaxation, balancing, pain relief and tension.
30mls carrier oil (such as sunflower or sweet almond oil)
4 drops lavender
2 drops geranium
2 drops sandalwood
To give tired mothers a lift:
30mls carrier oil
6 drops lavender
4 drop bergamot